Where does “witchcraft” come from?
Witchcraft derives from Middle English wicchecraft, from Old English wiccecræft, a compound of Old English wicce and -cræft, which combines Old English cræft with the agent noun suffix -þuz inherited from Proto-Germanic kraftuz and ultimately Proto-Indo-European -tus.
witchcraft (English): The practice of witches; magic, sorcery or the...
Definitions
- The practice of witches; magic, sorcery or the...
Ancestry of “witchcraft”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wicchecraft | witchcraft, magic; spell, a particular instance... |
| 2 | Old English | wiccecræft | the practice of witches, witchcraft, necromancy |
| 3 | Old English | cræft | strength, power; skill; art |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | kraftu | strength, power; skill |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | kraftuz | strength, power |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -þuz | Forms result nouns from verb roots, usually from... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -tus | Derives action nouns from verb roots |
Words derived from “witchcraft”